If you’ve been training since the beginning of the year, you may feel physically tired or emotionally drained. When this happens to my athletes, I recommend a midseason break from their usual training to reinvigorate­ their riding—and to set them up for big improvements come fall. Here are three options.

IF YOU: Are uninterested in riding or are experiencing stagnating performanceTRY THIS:The Full Stop
Take two weeks off from any exercise that requires special clothing or equipment. Instead, ride your cruiser to the coffee shop or take a short hike. While studies have shown that athletes start to lose fitness after 14 days off, you’ll see a net gain: By letting yourself recuperate, you’ll be able to train harder and make more progress after your break.

IF YOU: Enjoy competing and can do fast group rides or races three or more times a weekTRY THIS:The Race-and-Recover
If you have enough opportunities to ride fast—at group rides or training crits, for example—you can maintain fitness for up to five weeks without any structured interval workouts. On nonevent days, rest or do a short spin.

IF YOU: Plan to race cyclocross this fallTRY THIS:The Endurance Block
This two-week DIY training camp (see chart, below) will build your aerobic fitness to prime you for more intense, race-specific training as your events approach. It calls for some back-to-back big days (three to five hours) in the saddle; you may want to schedule a few hours or a day off work. Make sure to take the pre- and postblock recovery periods.

Tempo: You’re working, but at an intensity below lactate threshold—at 88 to 90 percent of your CTS Field Test average heart rate.
If you’re training by feel, this intensity is a 6 on a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale of 1 (rest) to 10 (all-out).